Never Die Young
by Lattelady
Summary: It had been a bone of contention between them from almost the beginning. Now six months after the eclipse they were still arguing about it. DG refused to allow Wyatt Cain or his son Jeb to be members of the palace security team. Character deaths times 2


**Rating: **PG-13

**Pairing: **DG/Cain - is there any other?

**Disclaimer:** Nope, still not mine: The song "Never Die Young" is written my James Taylor and not mine either.

**Dedication:** This story is dedicated to Celia Stanton. She wrote the wonderful "End Of Days." This is written in response to that.

**Tissue Alert! **

**Never Die Young**

By

_Lattelady_

_They were true love written in stone  
They were never alone, they were never that far apart_ – Never Die Young by James Taylor

………………………………………………………..

It had been a bone of contention between them from almost the beginning. Now six months after the eclipse, they were still arguing about it. DG refused to allow Wyatt Cain or his son, Jeb, to be members of the palace security team. He wouldn't let her go anywhere without him, and she insisted that there be official guards. To make matters worse, when he was at her side, there was a guard for him as well.

The stubborn Tin Man finally went over the Princess's head to Queen Lavender; sure he would gain the upper hand. After all, he had been the one who saw to the Kid's safety during their seven day struggle to find the Emerald, kill the Witch and retake the Outer Zone in the name Gale.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cain, it is her decision. I suggest you talk to her about it." The Queen smiled sadly at him because she saw the same worry in his eyes that she'd seen in her daughter's when they'd spoken on the matter. Lavender believed the couple were in love with each other and too stubborn to admit it.

"I've tried, but she refuses to listen to me."

"Then there is nothing I can do for you." He made it almost to the door, before she added. "I realize my daughter can be…willful at times, but I've never known a Tin Man who gave up easily. Take my advice and talk to her one more time, but when you do, try and leave your anger behind."

He wasn't happy. Didn't his Princess trust him anymore? He stomped through the halls of Finaqua until he walked off some of his temper. When he'd finally cooled down, he went in search of DG. And found her in a secluded section of the gardens, talking quietly with her sister.

"Princess, may I speak with you?" He fought to keep impatience out of his voice, but from the concerned look in Azkadellia's eyes he doubt he succeeded.

"Of course, Mr. Cain," DG addressed him formally before smiling reassuringly at the older woman. "You go on without me, Az. Glitch has been asking for you ever since he woke up from surgery. You're the only one he really wants to see."

"You'll be all right?"

"I'll be fine. Mr. Cain just wants to talk with me." She waited until Azkadellia was out of sight before she spoke again. "She's refused the crown," Deeg's voice broke. "The Emerald chose her, but she still refuses to rule. She told mother this morning and wanted me to hear it from her. What kind of queen am I going to make? I'm hardly better than a Slipper."

"You'll be magnificent. You're the Princess of the Light." He knelt beside her, all thoughts of anger pushed aside, when confronted with her distress.

"I can't be queen." She shook her head. "There are things I can't do that are necessary for the position." She knew that she'd never produce an heir, because her heart was already taken by Wyatt Cain and his was locked in a tin suit or buried beside a cabin on the other side of the O.Z. She wasn't sure which it was, but she knew it wasn't here with her. She was smart enough to know that he believed he cared about her, but she knew differently. She'd watched her strong, unshakable Tin Man shed tears over Adora Cain's grave.

"If it's something you don't know how to do, then you'll learn. You're a very resourceful young lady."

"It's not a matter of learning," she muttered, and then determined to change the subject, looked up at him with a half-smile. "What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"I wanted you to tell me why you don't trust Jeb and me to be your guards?"

"It's not a matter of trust," she whispered and felt tears fill her eyes.

"Then what is it?" He turned and gripped her by the shoulders. "We'd keep you safe. No one would ever harm you if we were there."

"No! Don't you understand, I've already take enough from you. I will never put you, or your son, in a position where you might have to take a bullet for me!" She couldn't help herself. She burst into tears and threw her arms around his neck.

"My sweet Princess, don't you know it's already far too late for that." He filled his hands with her hair on either side of her face and tilted her head until he could see her sad eyes. "My fate was sealed when I went looking for you at the Mystic Man's in Central City. No matter how many guards there are around you, I'll still stand between you and harm's way." She had to live and he would see that she did, no matter what. Though she might be right about one thing, it would be a good idea to send Jeb away.

"Then you have to leave! I can't allow you to stay!" her voice rose in panic as she struggled to get free of his arms. "You have to get as far away from me as you can and never come back!"

"No Deeg, no!" He pulled her against him and held on as tightly as he could. "It's not going to happen that way."

"Please, Tin Man, please," she wept. "As long as I know you're safe and alive somewhere in the Zone, I'll be able to do anything…well almost anything…they need me to do." She ran her fingers over his face and into his short blonde curls.

"It's not going to happen like that, because I'm only half alive when your aren't with me."

"I know you think you care, and I'm very flattered, but…" She was too tired to argue any more, so she did the only thing left to her to do. "You can't stay because I've done something completely silly and very embarrassing." If her pleas wouldn't get him to leave, maybe telling him the truth would. "I've fallen in love with you."

Instead of running or even giving her one of his lectures on propriety, he looked into her eyes and smiled.

"Good, because I'm in love with you too," he whispered as he lowered his lips to hers. Their first kiss was gentle and he could taste salty tears on her mouth.

"But…but I always thought you loved Adora and always would."

"I did and part of me always will, but I'm _in_ love with you. You're the one I want to walk the Long Road with and I have for months now."

"Wyatt," she murmured his name. This time when they kissed it seemed to go on forever.

…………………………………………………………………..

Three months later they were married.

…………………………………………………………………...

They became the Outer Zones golden couple, living a golden life. If sometimes it was more frantic than they would have liked, both DG and Wyatt agreed it was a small price to pay to be together.

She made sure that everywhere they went, there were guards, who watched not only her, but him as well. He still carried his gun and had been known to pull it from his holster if he didn't think their security team was quick enough.

She took self-defense classes, along with all the others she was taking. He made sure that either he or Glitch, who was now also Ambrose, was the one who did the teaching.

Some said they were proof of the Gale magic. The Princess had brought Wyatt Cain's heart back to life and he'd given it to her for safe keeping. Most believed they were a good luck sign sent from Glinda herself, after the years of darkness and hatred under the Witch. Though some questioned if they were strong enough to rule, this woman who might as well be a Slipper, after all her years on the Other Side, and her Tin Man, who was little better than a sheriff from Central City.

…………………………………………………………………..

Time passed and Glitch and Azkadellia married. They spent most of their time at Finaqua in seclusion. The Witch had done more damage to the older princess than anyone realized, she had taken her strength and courage. Though Ambrose made her exceedingly happy, Az almost never used her magic.

In the third year of their marriage DG gave Wyatt a daughter who they named Emma, but everyone called her Em for short. She was a raven haired beauty like her mother with her father's eyes. She was stubborn and quick and would bound through the castle laughing as Tutor gave chase, while her parents howled in delight. Even in those early years there was no doubt in anyone's mind that Em would be one of the finest Queens the O.Z. had ever seen.

…………………………………………………………..

On the night of the youngest Princess's 25th birthday, the Queen gave a huge party at the main castle in Central City. For this occasion even Azkadellia come out hiding. The older Princess smiled sweetly as she listened to her husband slip back and forth between Ambrose and Glitch, as he retold the story of how they'd rescued Raw from the Papay, followed by their mad dash across the meadow and ending in jumping off a cliff into raging waters hundreds of feet below.

"DG happy," Raw whispered in the young woman's ear. He didn't need to listen to a story he'd lived, no mattered how entertaining. He carried it in his heart. "Cain happy, too."

"We've made it work. Despite his worries and my fears, we made it work." She blinked away tears she didn't know were filling her eyes. "Who would have thought, all those years ago, that he would have ended up loving me so much?"

"Heard it in your dreams." The Viewer remembered those nights they'd camped as they fought their way across the O.Z. "Both loved, but too stubborn, too confused to understand."

"And it wasn't as if we had other things on our minds, like trying to stay alive." Wyatt wrapped his arms around his wife from behind and held her close.

"You always get hung up on the little details and miss the main point of the story." She leaned her head on his shoulder and looked up into eyes she loved to watch, especially when they smolder with passion.

"Happy birthday, dear," the Queen came to kiss DG on the cheek and greet her daughter's friends. "You and Wyatt should get the dancing started."

Before her Tin Man offered his Princess his arm, he looked around carefully. Their guards were in place and were moving to form a wide circle to separate them from the spectators, as the couple danced alone for the first half of the song. As the music started he looked again, checking all the possible lines of sight. It was an old habit and he knew that he'd probably take it to his death, but he had to be sure she was safe, when they were that exposed.

When the men were in place and he'd double checked the higher trajectories, he pulled DG close in his arms and began guiding her through steps they'd done a thousand times together. Sometimes in huge ball rooms, but often in their quarters, just the two of them.

"I love you, Tin Man," she whispered as she wrapped her arm tightly around his neck and rested her head over his heart.

"I love you too, Princess." An old itch made him look up just in time to see one of their guards pull his gun. Thoughts flashed through Wyatt's mind faster than he could process them: his love for the woman in his arms; his sure knowledge that she would fight him if he tried to throw them to the floor and cover her body with his; joy at all they had had together; a bit of disappointment for what they would miss. In a split second, before the man could fire, Cain executed a simple dance turn, placing his back between Deeg and the shooter. But he hadn't anticipated the power of the weapon the man held in his hand. The bullet passed through the heart of a Tin Man, hitting his Princess in the head

Before the other guards could do more than draw their weapons, Azkadellia was on her feet. A bolt of powerful magic flew from her hand and caught the shooter around the throat, holding him in place.

People ran to the fallen couple who still had their arms locked around one another. DG's dress was soaked in blood, both hers and Wyatt's, as was his shirt.

"Do not touch!" Raw cried out as he moved slowly across the floor, suddenly feeling old and tired.

"Can you save them?" Az asked in panic.

The Viewer knelt by his friends. He knew there was nothing he could do, but he felt a strong presence enter the room. He spoke reverently in the ancient tongue of his people. When he opened his eyes, he looked sadly at the Queen and remaining Princess. "Glinda has come for them. They were true love written in stone. They were never alone, they were never that far apart. It is as it should be." Then he laid one paw on the shoulder of each of his fallen friends and whispered, "Walk the Road together as you were meant to do, forever."

"_Oh, yes, other hearts were broken  
Yeah, other dreams ran dry_

_But our golden ones sail on, sail on  
To another land beneath another sky"_

Never Die Young – by James Taylor

**THE END**


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